Sheikh Sudais strongly condemns attack on Saudi airport

RIYADH: Imam-e-Kaaba and Head of the Presidency of the Two Holy Mosques Sheikh Abdurrahman Al Sudais on Thursday condemned in strong words the missile strike by Yemen’s Houthi rebels on Saudi Arabia’s Abha airport.

In a statement released from his office, Sheikh Sudais said that this “terrorist” attack and the Houthis’ act of openly claiming it on social media and other platforms is highly condemnable and exposes their heinous agenda.

“This act points towards this group’s moral degradation and utter disregard for all religious and human values as they attacked a place where hundreds of Saudi civilians and people belonging to other nationalites arrive daily,” reads the statement.

The Imam-e-Kaaba thanked Allah that the attack did not result in any death and prayed that may Allah keep Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries safe from such militant groups’ activities.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile strike on an Abha airport in Saudi Arabia early on Wednesday which wounded 26 people.

A Saudi Arabia-led coalition, which has been fighting the Houthis in Yemen, said it would make a “firm” response.

A coalition statement, carried on Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, said a projectile hit the arrivals hall at Abha airport, causing material damage. Three women and two children were among the wounded, who were of Saudi, Yemeni and Indian nationalities, it said.

The attack follows an armed drone strike last month on two oil-pumping stations in the kingdom that were claimed by the Houthis.